Local Land Charges

Local Land Charges is the service which undertakes official searches for the conveyancing of land and properties, and maintains the Register of Charges.

Local Land Charges were created by the Land Charges Act of 1925 with Registers being maintained by both County and District authorities. Local Government reorganisation in the early 1970s resulted in the closure of the County Registers. Following a Law Commission report, the Local Land Charges Act of 1975 and Rules of 1977 were passed and came into effect. These remain the principal regulations governing the Local Land Charges Register, maintenance, access and the charging of fees.

We hold Local Land Charges registers for the whole of the Craven area, which includes the Yorkshire Dales National Park. To find out whether your property falls within our area, please refer to our area map.

If you are planning to buy a house or plot of land, or lease a property, you will need to know whether there are any outstanding charges outstanding or on-going. The search will provide you with important information so you are aware of any charges or responsibilities you will be taking on when you exchange contracts.

The word charge means any outstanding financial claim, restriction, decision or information which may affect a particular property or parcel of land. These include charges for such services as: -

Tree preservation orders

Conservation areas and Article 4 areas

Conditions imposed on planning permissions

Legal agreements

Listed buildings

Planning enforcement notices

Smoke Control Areas

Local Authority Grants (which may affect your reselling or renting out the property).